Lugar announces $32 Million Grant to Purdue to Train Afghan Farmers

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Senator Dick Lugar, the Ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced today that Purdue University has received a grant of $31,991,056 from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist in the rebuilding of Afghanistan by training the faculties at five Afghan agricultural universities.

“Rebuilding Afghanistan’s agricultural economy remains one of the highest priorities for United States interests,” Lugar explained. “Purdue agricultural experts have been engaged in Afghanistan since 2003 through the United States Department of Agriculture and the State Department with USAID.”

"Purdue has a long and rich history of collaboration with educational institutions, agencies and organizations around the world," said university President France A. Córdova. "This partnership extends our previous work in Afghanistan to help build the educational capacity required to improve agriculture and food systems and empower Afghan citizens to contribute to the country's development."

The five year grant to Purdue focuses on rebuilding the agricultural programs at the University of Kabul, University of Nangarhar, University of Balkh, University of Herat, and University of Kandahar.

“For the brave Hoosiers who lost their lives fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, and for the thousands who served, it is a great honor for Indiana’s world-class agriculture school to re-dedicate their sacrifices by helping to build a sustainable and thriving Afghan farm economy,” Lugar said.